


i'll be your reason to try

by happythehardway93



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben has a kid, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, No Pregnancy, Single Dad Ben Solo, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, but likes to eaves drop, this kid is wise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:46:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26072878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happythehardway93/pseuds/happythehardway93
Summary: Lizzie Solo is excited to spend the day with her dad. But, an unexpected meeting with his coworker leads to a shocking revelation.orPrompt: It's Bring Your Kids to Work Day and little Lizzie Solo meets Rey for the first time. "Are you the same Rey that my dad told Uncle Hux that he was half in love with?"
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 15
Kudos: 165
Collections: Reylo Prompt Fills (@reylo_prompts)





	i'll be your reason to try

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this prompt clearly stuck with me since this got written during a family dinner. Thanks to Reylo Prompts for this! This work has not been beta read, all errors are my own.

It wasn’t that Lizzie hadn’t ever been to her dad's office before. Grandma Leia would take her often, picking up her dad's favourite sandwich from the deli across town, bringing treats for her dad's coworkers. Sometimes Uncle Hux would join them, her playing with the special toys she kept in the bottom drawer of her dad’s desk while the adults would catch up on “adult things,” whatever that phrase meant.

But this was different. Today, Lizzie got to go to work with her dad for the WHOLE day. Plus, she didn’t have to go to school because of it. It was most definitely a win win situation for her. 

“Is your bag packed?”

“Yep,” she responded, emphasizing the p on the end. She finished shoving in her notebook and pencil crayons before she zipped up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder.

“Do you have enough snacks? What about your water bottle?”

“Yes, dad. I have everything, I promise”

Her dad chuckled, snapping his briefcase closed before turning towards the door. “Come on then, kiddo. Don’t want to be late for work.”

The drive felt like an eternity, her excitement getting the best of her. She spent the ride chattering away, asking about what they would do all day, what was lunch going to be, would they see Uncle Hux at all?

“You’ll find out soon, kiddo. We’re almost there.”

She giggled as they pulled into the parking garage, the automatic garage door amusing, as always. She bounced on her toes through the whole elevator ride, the other riders smiling at her as she moved around anxiously. She practically skipped next to her dad as they approached his office.

The blonde lady in front of his office perked up as they approached, smiling brightly at the pair. She stood up, brushing the wrinkles out from her skirt. 

“Lizzie! It’s nice to finally meet you,” she said, bending down to be closer to her eye level.

“This is Kaydel, my new secretary,” her dad said.

“Hi Kaydel,” she greeted, smiling wide at the secretary. 

“What’s the plan for today? Does your dad have a fun day planned out for you?”

“He won’t tell me anything,” she responded, eyeing up the man in question. 

He smiled brightly, ruffling her hair up lovingly. “I told you, you’ll find out soon enough. I promise you’ll have a good time.”

“Lizzie!”

She turned, beaming brightly at the booming voice. “Uncle Hux!” she cried out, running into his outstretched arms.

“Lizzie, did you grow again?” he asked as he swung her up into his arms. “I thought we talked about this, you’re not allowed to grow up.”

She giggled, arms tight around his neck. “I can’t help it!”

“Well, that just won’t do,” he said, placing her back down on the floor. He patted her shoulder, smiling fondly at her. “So, what’s the plan for the day?”

She groaned. “Dad won’t tell me.”

Hux laughed, looking over at Ben. “Oh course he hasn’t.”

“What, am I not allowed to keep it a surprise?”

“I’m surprised she hasn’t worn you down yet.”

“Oh, believe me, she’s getting pretty close,” Ben joked, looking fondly at his daughter. 

“Ben, Mr. Calrissian needs you in his office,” Kaydel interrupted, phone held to her ear. 

“Can it not wait until tomorrow? I thought we set myself as busy for the day?”

“He said it’s urgent.”

Ben sighed, placing his briefcase next to Kaydel’s desk. “Hux, do you mind watching Lizzie for a bit?”

“Of course not. We’ll just hang out in your office and wait for you.”

“Thanks,” Ben replied, sweeping over to kneel next to Lizze. “I’ll be back soon, and then we can get our fun day started. Sound good, kiddo?”

“Yes. I’ll see you soon,” she said, smiling sweetly.

Hux and Lizzie settled comfortably into Ben’s office, Lizzie perched on the couch with her notebook out, while Hux stood close to the door, phone in his hand as he tapped away at it.

“Shoot,” he muttered, looking up towards her. “Hey kiddo, stay here for a second, I’ll be right back.”

Hux opened the door wide, pausing as he scanned around. He disappeared for a few seconds, pulling in a young woman with him.

“Hux, it’s fine, I can just come back- oh. Hello,” she said, eyes wide as they landed on Lizzie. 

“Lizzie, I need to run off to a meeting, but Rey here will sit with you until I or your dad gets back. Okay?” He asked, pushing Rey further into the room. 

“Sounds good,” Lizzie responded, turning her attention to the new person in the room.

Rey looked terrified, unsure of the situation as she turned to angrily whisper at Hux.

“Just sit with her. I’ll be back soon!” he called out as he exited the room, closing the door on his way out.

Rey approached slowly, schooling her anger away into a small, nervous smile.

“Hi, I’m Rey. I’ve heard a lot about you,” she said, finding a spot on the couch next to Lizzie.

Lizze looked up, eyebrows furrowed. Rey was a name she heard a lot. She heard the name when her dad would drop her off at Grandmas for a sleepover, when Uncle Poe would tease him at their family barbecues. She could remember clearly the last time Uncle Hux was over, teasing her dad about something he had said about her.

“Are you the same Rey that my dad told Uncle Hux that he was half in love with?"

Rey paused, shocked by the question posed to her. “Uh… what?”

“I know I’m not supposed to listen to other people’s conversations, but it’s hard not to listen sometimes.”

Rey smiled softly, coming to sit next to Lizzie on the couch. “I know what you mean.”

“So, are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Are you that Rey? The one they always whisper about?”

“Well, uh, I guess that depends. How many Rey’s does your dad know?”

“Only one, I think. So it must be you.”

Rey was quiet, gnawing at her bottom lip as she thought over her answer. Lizzie looked on curiously, head tilted slightly to the side.

“You’re right, it must be me,” she responded, smiling softly at the little girl.

“Oh, that’s good then.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, Grandma says love is special. If you love someone, they have to earn your love and trust. Daddy must think you’re really special then.”

Rey’s mouth parted slightly in shock. “Wow. You’re pretty wise for a kid aren’t you?”

“I guess so,” she shrugged.

“Do you really think your dad loves me?” she asked quietly, eyes looking down at her lap.

“I do. I mean, that wasn’t the first time I’ve heard the adults talking about love. Grandma says Daddy hasn’t been in love in a really long time, so you must be really special if he loves you.”

A small gasp escaped her lips before a huge smile broke out on her face. “Wow Lizzie, has anyone ever told you how smart you are?”

“Well, dad tells me all the time that I’m smart for my age, but I think he feels like he has to say that because I’m his kid.”

Rey laughed, a full-hearted laugh as she moved closer, placing a hand on Lizzie’s shoulder.

“Lizzie, your father absolutely adores you. He never stops talking about you. Yes, he may be your father, but that man would never lie to you about something like that. If he tells you he thinks you’re the smartest kid out there, he absolutely means it.”

Lizzie cocked her head to the side, a small smile playing at her lips. 

“Rey?”

“What is it sweetie?”

“My dad may love you, but do you love my dad?”

“What?”

“Well, I mean, I think he’s special. So, I guess I was wondering if you thought he was special too? I just, I don’t want him to get hurt if you don’t love him back.”

Lizzie could see tears beginning to pool her Rey’s eyes, a look of complete adoration clear on her face. “He is pretty special, isn’t he?” she responded softly, hand moving down Lizzie’s arm to grip her fingers tight. The pair smiled at one another as Rey gathered herself. “I, uh, well, I think-”

“Hey, kiddo, sorry for- Rey.”

The pair jumped apart quickly at the sudden outburst. Lizzie turned, leaning over the back of the couch while Rey jumped up, striding over to Ben as she swiped her soft tears away. “Hey, sorry, I just needed you to sign something but I didn’t realize that this would be a bad time and Hux had a last minute meeting pop up and, uh-”

The pair stared at each other, both looking a little shocked to be seeing one another. Lizzie turned away, continuing her doodle as the whispering began, hushed voices speaking at a clipped speed. There were a few phrases like “you didn’t tell me” and “was I supposed to” were used often, but like her dad had said, it’s not nice to listen to other people’s conversations. It was just hard at times.

She heard her dad sighed loudly before he spoke up again. “Lizze, say thank you to Rey for watching over you.”

She turned quickly, raising herself on her knees to lean against the back of the couch. “Can Rey come to lunch with us?”

Ben stood still, mouth gaping slightly. “Oh, um. I guess that depends.”

“On what?” she retorted.

“Well, I guess it depends on if Rey wants to join us,” he said, turning to look at Rey. “Do you want to come with us?”

Rey looked between Lizzie and her dad, trying to read the situation. “Oh, I don’t know, I wouldn’t want to intrude on anything.”

“What does intrude mean?” asked Lizzie. 

“Intrude is when someone is not welcome, or someone who shouldn’t be there,” responded Ben. 

“Oh. Well, then you won’t intrude because I’m inviting you. Besides, I think dad wants you there too,” she said, smiling brightly. 

“Lizzie, where did you get that idea from?”

She froze, sinking her butt back onto the couch. “Uh, well.”

Rey smirked, turning to Ben. “She already asked me if I was ‘the Rey,’ so, I guess she may know a bit more than you think she does.”

Ben sighed, raising his hand up to rub his temples. “Sweetheart, what have we talked about? It’s not polite to listen to other people’s conversations.”

“I’m sorry.”

Her eyes dropped down to the floor, the whispering between the adults starting again. She turned to burrow herself back into the couch, hands coming up to cover her ears. She tried to think of her favourite song, drowning out her curiosity so she wouldn’t get in trouble for listening to conversations she shouldn’t be. She knew better, she really did. Look where it had gotten her already today? 

The door to the office closed as footsteps approached the couch. Lizzie kept her hands on her ears as her dad settled into the couch, eyes looking down at her. He reached over, grabbing onto her hands to bring them into his lap.

“Hey kiddo. I think we should talk about some things.”

She sat up a bit straighter, leaning in close, taking a deep breath before starting.

“Is this about you being half in love with Rey? I know I shouldn’t have been listening to you and Uncle Armie.”

“It’s… sort of about that. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you overheard that conversation with Armie and I.”

“I’m sorry if I wasn’t supposed to say anything. I guess I thought she would have known already”

“It’s okay, kiddo. I’m not mad.”

“You’re not mad? Does this mean you don’t love her?”

“No. I’m not mad. I mean, I haven’t told Rey I love her yet, but I think she gets why.”

“Why? Grandma says we should always let the people we love know it, even if we’re mad at them.”

Ben chuckled softly, rubbing his thumbs along the top of her hands. “When did you turn into such a wise little girl?”

“I’m not little anymore, dad. Why does everyone keep saying that I’m wise?.”

“Because you are. Maybe a bit too much for your own good,” he chuckled, pulling his hands back to his lap. He turned his body slightly, moving Lizzie’s notebook onto the table, keeping the couch clear between them.

“You are the most important person in my life Lizzie, I don’t want you to ever doubt that. I’ll always love you and put you first. But I also love Rey,” he said softly, reaching back out to grab her hands. 

“You do?”

“I do.”

“But you haven’t told her?”

“Well, it’s complicated, sweetheart.”

“How is love complicated?”

“Because, Lizzie, even if I love Rey, I need you to know that nothing will change between us. You’ll always be my number one, sweetheart.”

“Why would things change?”

“Well, sometimes, when a parent falls in love with someone else, their kids may feel neglected, or ignored may be a better way to put it.”

“I don’t get it. Grandma says you can absolutely love more than one person at a time.”

“And she’s right. I just, I don’t want you to think I’m replacing your mom, or something like that.”

“But, you love her, right? You love Rey?”

“I do, Lizzie. I really do.”

“Well, then I love her too.”

“You do?” he asked, slightly surprised at her answer.

“Well, I think I can love her. Because if she makes you happy, she must be pretty special. You should be allowed to love her if it makes you happy.”

Ben smiled softly, hand coming up to cup her chin. “You don’t feel like I’m replacing your mom? Because I don’t want you to feel like that for a second. Please don’t think that your feelings don’t matter here.”

“I don’t think that. I think Rey is perfect for you.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

He breathed out a sigh of relief. “How did I get so lucky to have you for a kid?”

“You just did,” she said, giving him the classic Solo smirk. 

He chuckled, wrapping her in his arms in a tight embrace, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head. “I love you, Lizzie Solo.”

“I love you too, dad.”

Lizzie pulled away from his embrace, a serious look in her eyes. “Dad, I think you should go tell Rey you love her now.”

He chuckled, hand raising up to brush her hair back. “There will be plenty of time for that, sweetheart.”

“But if you love her, she needs to know.”

“All in good time, little one. So, should we get our day started then?”

The rest of the morning went by quickly, Lizzie never far from her dad as they made their way around the building. Many people stopped them on their journey, lamenting on how much Lizzie had grown since the last time they had seen her. 

Rey met them in the parking garage for lunch, the three of them opting to picnic in the park across town. They sat together, munching on their sandwiches from the deli before Lizzie could convince Rey to help her on the swing set. The pair laughed for the rest of lunch, running around, tumbling in the grass as Ben looked on at the two, abright, genuine smile adorning his face. 

The ride back was filled with lively conversation, as Lizzie told Rey all about second grade and the mean little boy who constantly made fun of her braids. As they parted ways back at the office, Lizzie piped up. “Can Rey come over for dinner?”

“What?” the two adults responded at the same time, smiling softly at one another when they realized.

“Well, for reasons we’ve talked about dad, I think she should come over for dinner,” she stated, both adults trying to hide their amused smiles.

“I don’t know, we already had lunch together, maybe Rey wants a break from us,” he said, ruffling her hair as they waited for the elevator. 

“Do you?” she asked, attention turned to Rey. 

“Do I what?” asked Rey.

“Want a break from us?”

She smiled softly, looking up at Ben. “No. I don’t think I do.”

Ben smiled softly, looking at the young woman. “You said the paperwork is done?”

“It is,” she responded. She reached out, tangling her fingers with his. “Filed it this morning.”

“Well, do you want to meet us at the house then after work?”

“Absolutely.”

The group parted in the elevator, Rey heading to her office a few floors down with the promise of bringing a special treat later for dinner. Lizzie settled back into her spot on the couch as her dad started in on some paperwork, stating he needed a few minutes before they could continue running around to visit the rest of his coworkers. The silence stretched on for a moment before Lizzie couldn’t wait any longer.

“Daddy, I think you should marry her.”

He looked up, slightly shocked at his daughter’s statement. Lizzie looked back, a bright smile across her face. Ben laughed loudly, a grin blossoming at his daughter’s excitement. 

“I do too, kiddo. I do too.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for indulging me in this! This has been way outside of my comfort zone but fun to explore. Come chat with me on [twitter.](https://twitter.com/happythehardway)


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